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on
08/24/2009

Description

This abandoned property has not been cared for this season 2009, even though the owner lives at Foxwood Apts South St.Vernon, CT., she will only come in to pick up items and NEVER even cut the grass.which can bring in TICKS, which my animals are free of...........
We in this neighborhood pride in keeping our property clean and tidy.
I understand it also was reported to Town Officials......
Please help up get our property values back without this eyeshore in the neighborhood
Thanks

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12 Comments

Doug Hardy, Journal Inquirer(Guest)

Hello Mr. Lachance,

I think you have two ways to go with this. Contacting town officials puts you into a waiting mode because there are only so many instant resolutions available to them, if any. Any infraction (if the town even has one on the books for messy yards) might include a 30- or 60-day grace period for the homeowner to resolve the issue.

Did you report this property to Zoning Enforcement Officer Abraham Ford? Mr. Ford is available in the morning at the building department at 860-870-3633. I left him a message about the issue so he may be expecting your call.

In terms of health risks, one of the local health officials tells me that although ticks can carry Lyme disease, they are not considered a reportable health problem in the same risk pool as mosquitoes. I can't tell from your photograph if there is standing water on the property providing a breeding ground for mosquitoes. If there is, then you may be able to get the health department involved.

My advice is to contact Mr. Ford or reconnect with him to get a status on the situation. It's possible he already contacted the property owner and has given her some time to rectify the situation.

If you're not willing to wait for the town to get involved, I would suggest inviting your neighbors over for coffee and pooling a few dollars each to get a landscaper over there to mow the lawn for $20 or $30. That would seem to work best when an on-site elderly or incapacitated person is involved, but an abandoned property is another matter. Doing the work could be construed as trespassing. If anyone is injured on the property, then there's liability issues.

Opening the lines of communication first is generally the best thing to do. Good luck. Let me know how it goes or if you can't get a resolution.

So fill us in... Did you hear from the town or communicate with them after we chatted here? I'm curious about how you got them to send a yard crew out to the house. Did the town speak with the owner and decide that it was in its best interest to just handle it?

You can probably close this issue now, but it's important to realize that the grass is going to grow back and Maria's comment is on point. Will the town do this going forward? Probably not, but you would know if you spoke to the folks involved. You and your neighbors should figure out the status of the property with the owner and come up with a maintenance plan, if need be.

I'm noticing that the grass comes right out to the road. It might not be all the safe to have a young kid mowing there, but there has to be a responsible, smart teen around who would be willing to pass a mower over that property once every week or so for $15 a visit.

Mr. Lachance give me a call if you get a moment. 860-646-0500 Ext. 305

Mr. Lachance, do you know if the folks who cleaned up the property treated the pool? I stopped by the other day and noticed that it was full of green water... and also that there was a sign on the door. Did the town sign it's own people or did they contract with that company on the sign to clean the place up?

Based on the sign, it looks like they went inside and shut off the water and such. But my main concern is whether the pool was treated, or if they just let it be since the weather has cooled off.

Mr. Lachance, I just wanted to let you know we published a story about your issue here... thanks for sharing with us and I'm glad it has worked out.
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Abandoned house, lot cleaned up in Vernon

Art Lachance lives on South Street in Vernon. Only 21 days ago he visited the SeeClickFix portion of the JI’s Web site to report that the home at 63 South St. had been abandoned and its yard hadn’t been mowed all summer.

Grass and weeds had grown to about a foot or more, and he posted a photo showing just how shabby the place looked. It was pretty rough. It certainly stuck out like a sore thumb on South Street, where the neighborhood is well kept and pleasant.

Art Lachance(Guest)

Thank you Mr. Hardy, you did get the town going, we had called many departments in town hall without response for many months, when I saw your article in conjunction with seeclick fix. I had nothing to lose, and I got all to gain. Again thank you so much

Also, if the mosquitoes start to come back in your neighborhood, you might buy some of sort of treatment tablets for the pool and just toss them into the water over the fence, or call the health department. Good luck. I may contact you about the speeding issue on your street as well.

Art Lachance(Guest)

Thank you Mr. Hardy, you did get the town going, we had called many departments in town hall without response for many months, when I saw your article in conjunction with seeclick fix. I had nothing to lose, and I got all to gain. Again thank you so much
Art Lachance